Making Every Breath Count in Metro: Last Light

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Post-apocalyptic Moscow isn't very friendly.

By Andrew Goldfarb

Clean air is hard to come by in Metro: Last Light. Fighting through the blown-out streets of post-apocalyptic Moscow, you’re sure to encounter flying monsters, mutant spiders and falling trees, but it’s the air that will get you. With every step you take, a timer on your watch counts down the few seconds of breathable air left in a filter on your mask, reminding you to do what you need and to do it fast. Your life depends on it.

The world that THQ and developer 4A Games have created in Last Light isn’t the post-apocalyptic future you’re used to. The Moscow seen here is bleak and surrounded by collapsed buildings, but it’s not the type of setting you might find in Fallout 3 or Rage. Metro’s world is one of horror, where psychic visions drive the few people still alive completely insane. And air isn’t the only thing that’s scarce. In addition to looking for new air filters, you’ll always be searching for light, bullets, battery chargers and even other people as you explore what’s left of Moscow.

Exit Theatre Mode

Exploration is Metro's greatest strength. Moving through the tunnels of Moscow’s underground subway system, you’ll use a lighter to see where you’re going (or a flashlight if you’re fortunate enough to find a charge). There’s a real sense of terror moving through the dark, never knowing what you’ll find around each corner. If you’re lucky, you’ll come across some supplies, maybe a shotgun. If you’re not, you’ll find mutant spiders bursting out of a corpse.

You won’t spend the entire game underground, though. When you emerge above ground, you’ll shield your eyes from the light of the sun, blinding after the darkness of the tunnels. Moving above ground brings alternate hazards, like flying mutants that will pick you up and drop you without a moment’s notice. Encounters with these enemies feel real, especially as you control subtle moments in response to each, like wiping debris from the visor on your mask.

Instead of non-stop shooting and action, Metro: Last Light aims for immersion, putting you back in the shoes of Artyom, the protagonist of Metro 2033. Once again, Artyom is fighting off the Dark Ones, former humans who have been mutated into monsters by Moscow’s radiation. But Artyom has a secret weapon: he isn’t affected by the Dark Ones’ psychic visions. He can experience them, but isn’t driven mad like the people around him. Considering the nature of those visions, this is no small feat.

Exit Theatre Mode

In one portion of the demo we saw, Artyom and his partner come across wreckage from a plane crash, using it as an opportunity to look for supplies. As they step into the cockpit, a brutally vivid flashback shows exactly how the plane went down, cracked windows, screaming and all. Frequent visions like that would drive anyone insane.

Scripted events aren’t uncommon in Last Light, and 4A sees them as an opportunity to further immerse the player. While the game contains quick time events throughout, there won’t be any button prompts. The developers are confident that players will know what they need to do, relying on what they’ve been taught from exploring Moscow to know how to react. 4A knows gamers are smart, and it's treating them like it.

THQ isn’t ready to talk about the rest of the game’s features, but we do know that 2033’s hardcore Ranger Mode is set to return and will be “more substantial” this time around. Metro 2033 created a harsh new take on the post-apocalyptic future, and Last Light seems poised to improve upon it in a big way. Moscow still has plenty of secrets, but hopefully some of them will be revealed at E3 next week.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.